Holiday entertaining, whether for home and family, or for drop in guests, needs to have a little sparkle involved in it. Making things shine is, after all, what the holidays are about. That sparkle should be not just for your guests but also for your own family. We often tend to forget who we’re actually doing it for in the rush of the holiday season. Offer yourself and your family a bit of glamor for Christmas too.

Set a lovely holiday table just for your family, even if there is no one else coming in. Show them that they come first by taking out the good china, or putting some gorgeous centerpiece on the table, or offering a special dessert one evening during the holiday season, so that family knows that they are special… just as special as those other holiday guests.

Plan something special for the kids. Bake ahead and make some sugar cookies so that the baking and decorating aren’t all accomplished at the same time, and then have a decorating party for your kids and a few friends. Set out premixed frosting and sprinkles and a few dozen cookies. Let them decorate and then eat their own creations. Drop a small tree with battery powered lights in your kids room. They can use it as a nightlight and it offers them their own bit of sparkle. Let them visit a dollar store or a website with you to order a few small ornaments that they select.

Have your kids pick out their own gifts at the holidays for mom and dad, and for their siblings and then have them wrap the gifts themeselves to make it more special for them. Offering small tips on wrapping and working with them will make it seem more fun to them and give them the idea that giving gifts is as much fun as getting them.